Pilates for Chronic Pain Syndromes & Neurological Conditions
Sam’s world view
Each month we hear from Sam Wood - she summarises the most recent articles published in the Pilates industry.
Over the past months, we've explored how Pilates supports recovery from orthopedic injuries and improves balance in older adults. Now, I'm excited to shift our focus to an equally important but less-discussed area: the application of Pilates for chronic pain syndromes and neurological conditions.
This new direction aligns with my upcoming course, "Pilates for Injuries & Pathologies Part 2," and the recently released 2nd edition of my book "Pilates for Rehabilitation," both of which delve deeply into these complex conditions. I believe all Pilates teachers can benefit from understanding the research behind this work, as more clients are seeking movement-based therapies to complement their medical care.
Research has demonstrated promising results for Pilates as an effective rehabilitation approach for various neurological conditions and chronic pain syndromes. While conventional treatments for these conditions have traditionally focused on medication management and general physiotherapy, there is growing interest in how Pilates' emphasis on core strength, body awareness, and controlled movement can address the specific challenges faced by these populations.
Over the next few months, we'll review evidence for Pilates in treating fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and stroke. Each of these conditions presents unique challenges—from the widespread pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia to the motor control deficits of Parkinson's disease and stroke—yet all may benefit from Pilates' whole-body approach to movement. The research summarized here points to Pilates' potential to improve balance, reduce pain, enhance functional capacity, and ultimately improve quality of life across these diverse conditions.
While many of these studies are preliminary and have methodological limitations such as small sample sizes, they provide valuable insights into how Pilates principles might be integrated into comprehensive rehabilitation programs for patients with chronic neurological and pain conditions. My hope is that by sharing this research, we can collectively expand our understanding of how to serve these populations effectively and safely.
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Samantha Wood, MPT, MBA, NPCT, RYT, is a licensed physical therapist, a National Pilates Certified Teacher (NPCT), and a Yoga Alliance–certified teacher. She created and teaches BASI’s Pilates for Injuries & Pathologies advanced education courses. Click here to view 2026 course dates and locations.
Her new book, Pilates For Rehabilitation, 2nd edition was released at the beginning of December and is available now from HumanKinetics.com and Amazon.com.